Health Blog

If you are thinking about becoming one of the hundreds of thousands of American women having breast enlargement each year, you will have some homework to do first, and some decisions to make. • If you have already chosen your cosmetic surgeon, these things can be discussed with him or her • If you are still in the stage of looking for a good cosmetic surgeon, you can add these questions to your list when you go for free consultations 1. Saline or Silicone Gel? These are both safe and popular. You may remember that the FDA re-approved silicone gel implants back in November, 2006, having restricted their use to reconstruction only, for 14 years. During those 14 years, many safety studies were done, small and extra-large, and no dangers were found with silicone gel implants. Many feel that they are superior in having a more natural look and feel. Whichever kind you choose, ruptured shells and leaking contents are very unlikely and not a health threat if they do occur. Saline solutions will be harmlessly absorbed by the body. Silicone gel will not travel, as it sticks to itself even if the shell ruptures. Even if it did travel, it is harmless. We have silicone in scores of common household products and many foods. 2. Smooth or Textured? In a breast enhancement procedure, the implants are placed within a tissue pocket, either under the chest muscle or over it but under the breast tissue. After your procedure is finished, the body forms a connective tissue membrane around the implant. The implant surface can be smooth or roughened. The roughened surface is designed to prevent the connective tissue from contracting and squeezing the implant. Capsular contracture, as it is known, can be painful and can make the implant feel hard to the touch. A smooth surface is designed to allow the implant to move easily within its pocket. Such easy movement as your body moves prevents the implant from distorting the appearance of your breast. 3. Round or Anatomical? A round implant can rotate within its pocket without changing the breast shape. An anatomical implant is teardrop-shaped, more like the natural shape of a breast. This type was originally developed for reconstructive surgery, after an injury or mastectomy. They’re used in cosmetic breast enhancement now, as many women prefer them. An anatomical implant has a textured surface to prevent it from rotating. Round or anatomical is a preference you can discuss with your cosmetic surgeon. 4. Sub-Glandular or Sub-Muscular? These are placement options. The pectoral muscle covers the chest beneath the breast tissue. Breast implants can be placed beneath this muscle (and known as unders), or over it but beneath the breast tissue (and known as overs). • Overs can more likely be felt from the outside. They can also interfere more with mammograms, (although if the mammogram facility knows ahead of time that you have implants, they can adjust for it). Recovery time is shorter since the pectoral muscle is not disturbed. • Unders can be partial or complete. That is, they can be partially under the muscle or completely under it, although it isn’t really complete coverage, as that is physically impossible. If you have an athletic lifestyle you might not prefer to have unders, because the muscle contracts over them in an unnatural-looking way. If you have small breasts to start with, you might prefer to have them, as they will have muscle tissue covering them as well as the limited amount of glandular or fatty tissue. Breast enlargement is the most popular cosmetic surgery for women, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgery. In 2007, there were 399,440 women who had it done. Would you like to be one of them in 2008? Read also premarin without a prescription